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shrub layer

autumn olive

elaeagnus umbellata

orchards measurably yield more with elaeagnus interplanted: it fixes nitrogen, feeds birds, and its speckled autumn berries are a lycopene-rich harvest. manage it firmly; it self-sows.

functions

nitrogen fixerwildlife habitatfood croppioneer

light

full sun

moisture

moderate

soil

poor, sandy, or compacted — it improves them

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grower's notes

members

propagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for autumn olive — the members' view.

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the takeaway

start a guild around autumn olive

plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.

shrub
autumn olive — the anchor